Crosstown trafficBlack to blackYou should a seen 'erLong and winding road to the arenaCrystal ballI prophesizedWhat was on the horizonForewarned y'allIs it any wonderWhat kind of ground you goin' underA September enderTo march madness remember?You never heard a murderTake for exampleUnsolved mysteryLife lost in a funk sampleEnter the bandwagonsBraggin' hangin' bannersClearin' the way for younger MC'sAnd new hammersWhat was criticized six years backIs now backWith New York on the jersey front and backFeel like Tiger WoodsGot mad goodsWay up from the cheap seatsComin' outta the hoodRace to the black seatsAmongst the wack seatsBe the hardcoreAlongside the deadbeatsThe world lookin' onLike spectatorsAt crucified gladiatorsFeels like a jungle insideWhere fish swim birds flyMan got a tendency to dieMan falls to the hands of manBut damn if I'll ever tryTo survive at court sideFour tickets to flyRap or play ball do the gameOr duck the drive by

Same league that defendsBe the same ones that do us inSpy'sCIA FBIAnd them suits in thatCorporate skyEye for an eyeThe target is the bad guyHeard the war is onFrom the announcerBound to get the crowdBouncin'Yes and it counts andIn this corner representin' theBest in the westDied from four bulletsTwo in the chestWorshiped on the other sideOf TV setsHad mad fansComin' outta both sexSold, multi platinumEight times goldBut died of homicideTwenty five years oldHeard he died in debt tooI ain't seen a winner yet, you?The confused crowd boosThe move shitIn that cornerNumber one in the eastThe peace cursed for lifeBy the mark of the beastRaised by peeps rode jeepsDeep in Brooklyn beatsPraised as a heroWho came up off the streetsThe crowd looks onClaimin' sides they don't ownA house built up onTheir skulls and bonesKnew it be a matter of timeThe play by playTwo rappers slainMainSo let us pray

Wit all the gunnin'Crowd goin' crazyGettin' biggerProud to be called a bunchBitches and niggasThe ghetto stage fullaField nigga goalsHip hop shoot outs vs those house negrosFive bodies got on the shot clockRunnin' down in the count madeThe scoreboard rockThe referees the LAPDThe LVPDSaid they couldn't catchWhat they couldn't seeQuestionWas it bigger than the namesNot only in the gameBut the game behind the gameDown to the remainingSeconds of this recordAnatomy of a murderIntensity of a mysteryDead and goneAs the heads looked onHelplessAs the atmosphere preyed onInvestigatingAnd the winner beInterscope UNI Arista BMGLost in overtimeDa tombstone trophy for people that shitThe rhymes that diedBeats that deceasedFuck bestRest in peace

[Chorus]Rainy days from stormy nightsThough the stars shinedDays were brightThat was then this is nowThat was them this is how

Rainy days from stormy nightsThough the stars shinedDays were brightLive and die by the swordCome playoff timeIs your lord a godOr is your god a dog?